2022-11-13
Jeremiah 30:17 NIV
Why did John write, “I pray that… you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers” (3 John v.2 NAS)? Because your body thrives in relationship to how well you’re doing spiritually. Too much stress lowers your immune system, elevates your blood pressure, and creates cholesterol that blocks your arteries. It creates the very condition you dread. Job said, “The thing which I greatly fear comes upon me” (Job 3:25 AMPC). A certain amount of stress is necessary to get the adrenaline flowing, but too much will cause you to snap.
If Satan can’t get you to indulge in bad things, he will get you to overindulge in good ones, and your ignorance of his stress-inducing schemes is what enables him to gain a foothold in your thinking. If you’re anxious about your health today, stand on God’s Word:
(1) “Pay attention… to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body” (Proverbs 4:20-22 NIV).
(2) “‘I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,’ declares the Lord” (Jeremiah 30:17 NIV).
(3) “Worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you… I will give you a full life span” (Exodus 23:25-26 NIV).
(4) “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” (Mark 11:24 NIV).
God’s Word is your prescription for health and healing, so take it daily.
Soul food: Deut 9:13-29; Luke 4:1-13; Dan 1:3-21
2022-11-12
Mark 6:31 KJV
Don’t you find it interesting that the most high-tech generation in history is also the most medicated generation? The Bible predicted this. God told Daniel that in the last days “many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase” (Daniel 12:4 NKJV). That’s us! One researcher says we have trained our brains “to constantly flit around the universe of messages and information seeking brief hits of excitement. Grazing ceaselessly, we never dig too deeply before moving on to the next distraction… and it ratchets up our stress levels in ways we are only starting to understand.”
When was the last time you enjoyed some uninterrupted downtime without feeling guilty and unproductive? Do you even take time to reflect and recharge? Avoiding burnout requires these: (1) Recognising the signs. If you tweet and text people all day and yet you’re still lonely, technology may be dominating your life.
(2) Doing something about it. Make yourself unavailable for short periods and see what happens. The world won’t come to an end, honest!
(3) Realising you have a choice. People who think they should be available twenty-four hours a day exaggerate their own importance, or the control others have over them.
(4) Establishing boundaries. Rein in the emails and text messages. Do you really need all those FYIs about the same thing?
(5) Telling people, unless it’s truly urgent, you answer emails at designated times throughout the day.
(6) Setting a schedule and sticking with it. After a few minutes of surfing the Web, ask yourself, “Should I be doing this now?”
Jesus said, “Come… apart… and rest a while.” Why? Because when you don’t come apart, you fall apart!
Soul food: 1 Chron 3-5; John 8:31-41; Ps 99; Prov 25:26-28
Markus 6:31 NLV
Is dit nie interessant dat vir die mees hoë-tegnologie generasie in die geskiedenis ook die meeste medisyne voorgeskryf word nie? Die Bybel het dit voorspel. God het vir Daniël gesê dat in die laaste dae ‘Baie hiernatoe en daarnatoe [sal] gaan om meer te wete te kom’ (Daniël 12:4 NLV). Dis ons! Een navorser sê dat ons ons brein opgelei het om: ‘gedurig deur die heelal van boodskappe en inligting te sweef op soek na kort trefslae van opgewondenheid. Ons grawe nooit te diep voordat ons aanbeweeg na die volgende afleiding nie en dit verhoog ons stresvlakke op maniere wat ons nou eers effens begin verstaan.’
Wanneer was die laaste keer wat jy ononderbroke tyd bestee het om te ontspan, sonder om skuldig of onproduktief te voel? Jy moet die volgende doen om nie uit te brand nie:
1) Herken die tekens. As jy heeldag lank vir mense boodskappe stuur en steeds eensaam voel, mag tegnologie jou lewe domineer.
2) Doen iets daaraan. Maak jouself vir kort tydperke onbeskikbaar en kyk wat gebeur. Die wêreld sal nie tot ‘n einde kom nie, belowe!
3) Besef dat jy ‘n keuse het. Mense wat dink dat hulle vier-en-twintig uur ‘n dag beskikbaar moet wees, oordryf hulle eie belangrikheid.
4) Stel grense vas. Hou die e-posse en teksboodskappe in toom. Het jy regtig al daardie inligting oor dieselfde ding nodig?
5) Sê vir mense, tensy dit werklik dringend is, beantwoord jy e-posse slegs op aangewese tye deur die dag.
6) Stel ‘n skedule op en bly daarby. Na ‘n paar minute se rondsnuffel op die web, vra jouself af: ‘Is dit wat ek nou veronderstel is om te doen?’
Jesus het gesê: ‘…Kom julle nou self eenkant toe na ‘n stil plek en skep ‘n bietjie asem.’ Hoekom? Want as jy dit nie doen nie, val jy uitmekaar uit!
Sielskos: 1 Kron 3-5; Joh 8:31-41; Ps 99; Spr 25:26-28
2022-11-11
Psalm 16:8 NLT
When praying doesn’t seem to bring the answer, the question becomes, “How do I get through this?” The Bible addresses this by telling us Jesus endured “the shame of being nailed to a cross, because he knew… later on he would be glad” (Hebrews 12:2 CEV). Then it adds this: “Keep your mind on Jesus… you won’t get discouraged and give up” (v. 3 CEV).
The reason Jesus could endure is because He focused on what would happen “later on”; the joy of pleasing the Father, building the church, and reaching the world. Here is how David got through his hard times: “I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety” (Psalm 16:8-9 NLT). So instead of denying reality or trying to white-knuckle your way through it, realise that the Lord is with you and draw from Him the strength you need.
It’s difficult to endure hardship at the best of times, but when you don’t understand why, it can be frustrating. God doesn’t give us lengthy explanations about how He works; a God who is used to creating worlds with a single sentence wouldn’t. So, when you can’t find an answer in His Word or through prayer and the counsel of others, you’re left wondering. And you wouldn’t be the first. David repeatedly asks why in the Psalms, and God still called him “a man after My own heart, who will do all My will” (Acts 13:22 NKJV).
So be encouraged; you will get through this!
Soul food: 1 Chron 1-2; John 8:21-30; Ps 115; Prov 25:23-25
Psalm 16:8 NLV
Wanneer dit voel of gebed nie die antwoord bring nie, begin jy vra: ‘Hoe kom ek deur dit?’ Die Bybel spreek hierdie vraag aan deur vir ons te sê dat Jesus, ‘…ter wille van die blydskap wat daar voor vir Hom gewag het, die kruis verduur [het]…’ (Hebreërs 12:2 NLV). Dan word die volgende bygevoeg: ‘Dink aan Hom wat soveel vyandigheid van sondaarmense deurstaan het. Laat dit julle inspireer om nie uit te sak en tou op te gooi nie’ (vers 3 NLV).
Die rede hoekom Jesus kon verduur, is omdat Hy gefokus was op dit wat later sou gebeur; die blydskap dat Hy die Vader behaag het, die bou van die kerk en die evangelie wat die wêreld uitgestuur is. Hier is hoe Dawid deur moeilike tye gekom het. ‘Die Here is altyd by my. Ja, Hy is aan my regterhand, daarom sal ek nie struikel nie. Hieroor is my hart vol vreugde. Ek besing sy lof, en rus in veiligheid’ (Psalm 16:8-9 NLV).
In plaas daarvan om die werklikheid te ontken of jou pad daardeur te probeer oopstoei, besef dat die Here by jou is en put die krag wat jy nodig het uit Hom uit. Dit is moeilik om swaarkry te verduur, maar as jy nie verstaan hoekom nie, kan dit frustrerend wees. Dus, wanneer jy nie ‘n antwoord in sy Woord of deur gebed en die raad van ander kan vind nie, bly jy wonder. Jy sal ook nie die eerste een wees wat wonder nie. Dawid vra herhaaldelik ‘Hoekom?’ in die Psalms en steeds het God hom ‘…’n man na my hart. Hy sal alles doen wat Ek wil hê’ (Handelinge 13:22 NLV), genoem. Skep dus moed; jy sal deur dit kom!
Sielskos: 1 Kron 1-2; Joh 8:21-30; Ps 115; Spr 25:23-25
